Christmas present, past and future from the Plymouth Culture Board!
Crafty creatives, culture vultures, dancers, gardeners, actors and any groups who want to make a difference to where they live could be in line for a present that will help bring ideas to life.
The Vital Sparks project is launching its funding scheme which will ignite passion, imagination and a sense of can-do for groups who want to put on an event, a show, an exhibition, or create a mural or sculpture – anything that encourages people to work together and get creative.
Grants of between £500 to £5,000 are up for grabs through the project which has brought together for the first time, all the city’s arts organisations involved in community work, making it easier for groups to tap into whichever organisation best supports them.
The innovative Arts Council-funded project is a Plymouth Culture Board initiative and is led by Plymouth City Council. It was developed through extensive consultation with the city’s arts sector, the regeneration and youth services, housing and the voluntary and community sector.
Leader of the Council, Councillor Tudor Evans said: “We have some incredible community groups with amazing ideas – who just need a bit of support to help them get their ideas off the ground. Plymouth has a great cultural offer but we need to change the mind-sets of people who say it is not for them. Culture can be theatre, bands, pictures and events – anything that gets people thinking and talking. With the Mayflower 2020 celebrations looming on our horizon, now is the time to show confidence in what the people of this city can do. This project is about helping us to help them.”
Fiona Evans is the project’s producer and has managed big community art projects such as the city’s Cultural Olympiad programme of large-scale outdoor theatre; World at Your Feet, dance weekends, workshops in schools and youth groups.
She said: "My job is to inspire arts, culture and creativity in Plymouth and act as a link between different groups involved in these activities. This funding scheme is particularly useful for people who’ve never written a bid for money. Get in touch if you have an idea and we can put you in touch with artists or organisations that can help you deliver your dream event or project.”
The Barbican Theatre is one of many arts organisations backing the project. Company Director Sheila Snellgrove said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for individuals and communities right across our city to have a bright idea and turn it into action.
“Whether it’s building an arch, making a mural, or creating raised beds for growing food, Vital Sparks is about making new things happen, using artists and arts organisations as back up and support. We want to make a real difference when we are invited to get involved and get our hands dirty.”
The two-year Vital Sparks project was born out of Plymouth Culture Board’s ambition to get more people involved in arts and heritage-based cultural activities. You don’t need a constitution or a bank account, Vital Sparks can pay for goods or artists for you.
An application form can downloaded from www.plymouth.gov.uk/artdevelopment or contact Fiona at fiona.evans@plymouth.gov.uk
